Indian River Sweeps Relays On Night One of NJCAA Championships

BUFFALO, New York, March 6. INDIAN River State College swept the relays on the first night of the NJCAA Championships, as is a common occurrence during The River's reign at this meet. IRSC has not lost an NJCAA team swimming title for 31 years, having won both meets for more than three decades. And, the men are looking for their 39th straight win, with the women vying for a 32nd consecutive triumph.

Indian River's Yurie Nakano (54.35), Patricia Casella (1:01.78), Solyvette Lizardi (54.76) and Maria Munoz (51.03) cut a second off the NJCAA record in the women's 400-yard medley relay to kick off the evening. The squad turned in a 3:41.92, clearing the 3:42.95 set by IRSC last year. In its final meet as a program, with Daytona State's athletics administration deciding to cut swimming earlier this year, the DSC foursome of Tiffany Sudarma (57.57), Vanessa Aycart (1:06.84), Ginny Grams (53.90) and Sophie Drake (51.80) took second in 3:50.11. Darton's Emily Mitchell (58.90), Gail Calhoon (1:07.59), Sandra Guerrero (59.95) and Anna Macht (51.64) completed the top three in 3:58.08.

IRSC's men's team smoked the field in the men's 400-yard medley relay as Josh Oathout (50.05), Byron Wolkers (54.34), Henrich Alberts (47.41) and Brad Tandy (43.29) won in 3:15.09, about two seconds off the incredible NJCAA record of 3:13.18 set by the River in 2009. Daytona State finished second with a 3:17.92 from Yianni Thermos (49.59), Roman Kanyuka (55.76), Charles Williams (48.93) and Marco Gonzalez (43.64). Meanwhile, Darton's Gabe Downey (52.25), TJ Bladn (54.85), Kyle Batson (50.16) and Matthew Jones (46.31) earned third in 3:23.57.